Chronicles of coaching American football in Italy (2008, 2009 & 2018), in Sweden (2010, 2016 & 2017), in Switzerland (2012), winning a Division III National Championship in France (2012-13), in Spain (2015 & 2016) and in Mexico (2017) as well as walking the Camino de Santiago in August-September of 2010.

About Me

I have been married to Laurie for over 46 years. Our oldest son, Andy, lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife Jenn and their son Kevin. Our youngest son Mike lives in Oxnard, California with his wife Vanessa and their kids Jacob and Mary. Although I retired from teaching in June of 2007, the 2015 football season marked my 45th year of coaching football at five high schools in Southern California's Ventura County - Thousand Oaks, Westlake, Rio Mesa, Buena and Newbury Park. In 2008, I opted to try something totally different in my coaching career and started coaching in Europe. My EuroBall stops have been in Catania, Sicily in 2008 & '09, Hässleholm, Sweden in 2010, Thun, Switzerland in 2012, Lyon, France in 2012-13 with the 12-0 National Champion Bron-Villeurbanne Falcons, Murcia, Spain in 2015, Rivas, Spain in 2016, Upplands-Väsby, Sweden in the Spring of 2016 & '17, in Mexico to coach the Europe Warriors in Aug. & Dec. 2017 and now in 2018 in Varese, Italy. Join me as I explore and chronicle my newest adventures coaching American football in Europe. My European touring also included a 500 mile Pilgrimage Walk on the Camino de Santiago in Spain in 2010.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Saugus H.S. Football Clinic

Because I left for my coaching duties in Sicily in January the last two years, I have not been able to attend football coaching clinics for quite some time.

Usually I attended about five clinics each year to learn more about the current trends in both strategy and techniques. Fortunately, Laurie was very supportive of my career and encouraged me on my travels all over the country. Maybe she just wanted me out of the house for a few days . . .

We used to spend a week visiting Spring Practices at colleges. We had great experiences at Delaware, Georgia, Florida State, Oregon State, North Carolina and Maryland.

Saturday it was time to attend the 6th Annual Saugus H.S. Football Coaches Clinic. This clinic lasts only one day but is intense as their are eight speakers making presentations at the same time in different classrooms. Each presentation lasted 65 minutes and there would be eight sessions throughout the day that started at 8:00 a.m. and would not finish until 6:30 p.m.

The Saugus Centurion

Rio Mesa has a similar Spartan statue on their Quad. I think our Spartan can take their Centurion!

This must be the way!

Only one disappointment when I finally arrived at check-in -- NO COFFEE AND DOUGHNUTS!

Now free coffee and doughnuts upon registering have been a staple of every clinic I've ever attended until yesterday! I'm out of the loop for two years and this tragedy hits . . .

Fortunately, I'm resilient,

Clay Richardson

California Lutheran University

Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach

Clay was our QB on the Thousand Oaks H.S. JV team in 1970, my first year in coaching.

I attended Clay's Session 1 talk entitled:

"Implementing the Wildcat Package Into Any Offense"

Session 2 it was Johnnie Williams of Occidental College talking about:

"Defensive Line Pass Rush Fundamentals for the 3-4/4-3 Scheme"

The 3rd Session took me to hear Mission Viejo H.S.'s Bret Paton on:

"4-3 to 3-4 and back: Making it Easy to Use Multiple Fronts"

Session 4 took me to an offensive talk by Patrick Toney of Palomar College:

After a lunch break, it was on to Session 5 to hear Steve Bogan of South Hills H.S. on:

What it Takes to be a Winner: Lessons on Developing a Program"

It should be noted that Steve mentioned Jason Johnson's Grandpa, Frosty Westering, several times during his presentation.

Session 6, it was back to hear Bret Paton of Mission Viejo H.S. a second time on:

"Pursuit, Tackling, and Turnovers: Doing it the Diablo Way"

For the last two Sessions of the day I opted to hear the "Pride of Bari, Italy" . . .

Rocco Cordola

College of the Canyons

Defensive Line Coach

Rocco's EXCELLENT presentations were the highlight of the day for me. Great detail and lots of good drills and progressions. By the end of the day, there were only four of us coaches left in the room to hear Coach Rocco talk. I may be old but I still have stamina. His talks were on:

"Defensive Line vs. the Run and Pass: Emphasis on Defeating any Scheme and Technique"

Over the last four or five years I have heard several different College of the Canyons coaches speak at clinics on a variety of topics. They have all come across like Rocco Cordola did yesterday, organized, thorough, passionate and professional. Funny how Canyons is one of the top Junior College programs in the country year in and year out.

IT IS FINALLY

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!

SUPER BOWL MONDAY IN EUROPE

Scott Fujita

New Orleans Saints

#55, Outside Linebacker

One last Super Bowl pre-game Scott story for you before kickoff courtesy of Rhiannon Potkey of the Ventura County Star can be found by clicking on: